WASHINGTON, DC. — Legislators and bipartisan members of the Great Lakes Task Force introduced new legislation Tuesday that would extend a program meant to protect the Great Lakes.

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Act of 2024 would extend the Great Lakes Restoration Inactive (GLRI), a public-private program that has used federal and nonfederal aid to protect and maintain the Great Lakes since 2010.

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“The creation of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is one of the most important actions of my legislative career," Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) said in a statement. "Since I authored the program in 2010, it has been a proven success story. This bill will ensure the stability and future of the program as we address new emerging threats to our Great Lakes and waters.”

The program is set to expire at the end of 2026, and if reauthorized, would continue through 2031, officials said.

The reauthorization of the bill would increase annual funding levels from $475 million in 2026 to $500 million through 2031, according to officials.

“As Co-Chair of the House Great Lakes Task Force, I have worked to build a bipartisan coalition in Congress to make the Great Lakes a national priority,” Congressman Bill Huizenga (R-MI) said in a statement. “The Great Lakes serve as a vital source of economic activity, recreation, and drinking water for millions of Americans. For us in Michigan, the Great Lakes are a way of life. Studies from Grand Valley State University and the University of Michigan demonstrate how the economic health of the Great Lakes is directly tied to their ecological health. The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is the leading federal program designed to clean up legacy pollution, restore habitats, and combat invasive species across the basin."

The offices of Sen. Stabenow and Rep. Huizenga announced that they are among a bipartisan group of legislators cosponsoring the bill:

House cosponsors:

• Jack Bergman (MI-01)
• Haley Stevens (MI-11)
• John Moolenaar (MI-02)
• Mike Quigley (IL-05)
• Lisa McClain (MI-09)
• Elissa Slotkin (MI-07)
• John James (MI-10)
• Gwen Moore (WI-04)
• Claudia Tenney (NY-24)
• Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08)
• Max Miller (OH-07)
• Brad Schneider (IL-10)
• Bryan Steil (WI-01)
• Joseph Morelle (NY-25)

Senate cosponsors:

• J.D. Vance (R-OH)
• Gary Peters (D-MI)
• Todd Young (R-IN)
• Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
• Dick Durbin (D-IL)
• Sherrod Brown (D-OH)
• John Fetterman (D-PA)
• Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY)
• Tina Smith (D-MN)
• Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
• Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)
• Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
• Bob Casey (D-PA)

In addition to the legislators, officials said the bill is also supported by the following organizations:

• The Great Lakes Coalition
• National Audubon Society
• American Sportfishing Association
• Western Reserve Land Conservancy
• National Parks Conservation Association
• Alliance for the Great Lakes
• Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund
• Great Lakes Business Network
• Environmental Law and Policy Center
• Healing Our Waters-Great Lakes Coalition
• Save the Dunes
• Citizens Campaign for the Environment

Those who wish to learn more about the program can visit here.